Children and parents continue to benefit from the high level of commitment Mastronardi Produce Ltd. embraces when it comes to healthful eating and lifestyles. “As a family company, we believe in the importance of healthy lifestyles and leading by example,” Paul Mastronardi, the company’s president and chief executive officer, told The Produce News. “Our goal is to share our passion for flavor with families everywhere and to encourage healthy living through the consumption of fresh, greenhouse-grown produce. We educate kids and parents so they’ll know that eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated. You can create simple, healthy and flavorful meals in no time at all.”

The company is headquartered in Kingsville, Ontario, and has more than 60 years of experience in the greenhouse industry. With the fourth generation of family members at the helm, the company’s “SUNSET” brand is quickly recognized by Mastronardi’s customer base throughout North America.

Mastronardi Produce Ltd. helps children eat more healthily by growing and marketing items such as tomatoes that are brimming with flavor. (Photo courtesy of Mastronardi Produce Ltd.)“All ‘SUNSET’ products are healthy and flavorful snacks for kids and adults alike,” Mastronardi continued. “We offer a range of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers that are perfect for snacking, salads and more. We want to promote healthy habits at home and at school. Our ‘Angel Sweet,’ ‘Zima’ and ‘One Sweet’ snacking tomatoes are all offered in convenient packaging whether you’re on the go or snacking at home. We also offer ‘One Sweet’ mini peppers and conventional and organic mini cucumbers, which are perfect for little hands and mouths.”

According to Mastronardi, the company’s marketing efforts embrace children right at the source. “We actually use kids to market our commodities,” he explained. “Kids are the biggest food critics. So when they see others their age enjoying their vegetables, we feel they’ll be more inclined to do the same. We’ve received great feedback from consumers who have stated that their children only wanted to try a certain product because of the picture on the package.”

Recently, the company introduced its first-ever online commercial featuring “SUNSET” Kid Milla talking about the newest product, Y.E.L.O. (Youth, Energy, Life and Om). “When we sponsor local events, our mascot Sammy the Monkey is always around to play with kids and hand out our ‘One Sweet’ ready-to-eat snacking tomatoes,” Mastronardi said.

A fun, new “SUNSET” label app is available at the iTunes App Store. “Consumers and their kids can create their own ‘SUNSET’ label using their favorite tomato, pepper or cucumber and upload it to social media to share with friends,” he added.

Mastronardi Produce sponsors local schools and events on a weekly basis “to provide healthy lunches and snacks each week. We’ve also sponsored Cub Scout organizations to help them learn about different fruits and veggies and how to develop healthy habits,” Mastronardi noted. “Most recently, we’ve joined a program called Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools and have purchased numerous salad bars for the upcoming school year.”